The present invention relates generally to a laryngoscope, and more particularly to a laryngoscope including a separation mouth used in separating an intubated tube from the laryngoscope blade while removing the laryngoscope from a patient's throat.
The use of a laryngoscope for the intubation of a patient, as well as its use in other procedures, is well known in the art. FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a typical prior art laryngoscope, generally indicated by reference numeral 10. Laryngoscope 10 includes a handle 12 and a tubular blade 14 which are disengagably connectable to one another.
Referring specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, blade 14 includes an uppermost handle connecting end 16 and a tongue engaging end 18. The blade includes a tube passage 20 which extends from the handle connecting end to the tongue engaging end of the blade. Tube passage 20 has an entrance opening 22 at the handle connecting end of the blade and an exit opening 24 at the tongue engaging end of the blade. A slot 26 having a width 28 extends along an outer margin of the blade from handle connecting end 16 to tongue engaging end 18.
Referring now to FIG. 3, which shows an intubation procedure in progress, blade 14 of the laryngoscope is positioned in the throat of a patient 29. A flexible endotracheal tube 30 having a deformable diameter 32 has been inserted into entrance opening 22 of the tubular blade, passed through tube passage 20 and positioned in the trachea of patient 29. The diameter of tube 30 is slightly less than the width of tube passage 20 so that the tube is slidably received within the blade, but, at the same time, the diameter of the tube is substantially greater than width 28 of slot 26. Since diameter 32 of tube 30 in an undeformed condition is greater than width 28 of slot 26, the tube is retained within the tube passage as it is passed down from handle connecting end 16 to tongue engaging end 18 to be positioned in the patient's trachea, as shown. Once the tube is positioned it is separated from the blade, which will be described immediately hereinafter.
FIG. 4 illustrates the beginning of the procedure which must be carried out in order to remove the tube from the blade, while leaving the tube intubated in the patient apart from the laryngoscope. The tube must be deformed along its diameter at point 33 until the deformed diameter is approximately equal to width 28 of the slot. At this point the tube, while continuing to be deformed, is forced into the slot at handle connecting end 16 of the blade. This may be accomplished by squeezing the tube with a hand or a suitable instrument while forcing the tube into the slot. To complete the separation of the tube from the blade, which is not illustrated here, the tube is simply passed along the length of the slot while being deformed by the slot until it reaches the tongue engaging end of the blade where it is released from the slot, while withdrawing the blade from the patient. This may require the simultaneous removal of the blade by sliding the blade off the tube.
While the prior art laryngoscope, as depicted in FIGS. 1-4, is generally satisfactory for its intended purpose, there is a particular aspect of the instrument as shown and described above which may be improved upon in accordance with the present invention, as will be discussed below.
As described above, the tube must be deformed along its diameter in order for it to be inserted into the slot to begin the separation of the tube from the blade. This can be difficult to accomplish during a procedure, especially when a health care professional may be involved in many other important aspects of the procedure being performed.
As will be seen hereinafter, the present invention provides a laryngoscope including a unique feature and method for inserting the tube into the slot which requires no more than minimal deformation of the tube by the health care professional prior to its insertion into the slot.